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Dementia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality without pharmacologic prevention or cure. Mounting evidence suggests that adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern may slow cognitive decline, and is important to characterise in at-risk cohorts. Thus, we determined the reliability and validity of the Mediterranean Diet and Culinary Index (MediCul), a new tool, among community-dwelling individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of sixty-eight participants (66 % female) aged 75·9 (sd 6·6) years, from the Study of Mental and Resistance Training study MCI cohort, completed the fifty-item MediCul at two time points, followed by a 3-d food record (FR). MediCul test–retest reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland–Altman plots and κ agreement within seventeen dietary element categories. Validity was assessed against the FR using the Bland–Altman method and nutrient trends across MediCul score tertiles. The mean MediCul score was 54·6/100·0, with few participants reaching thresholds for key Mediterranean foods. MediCul had very good test–retest reliability (ICC=0·93, 95 % CI 0·884, 0·954, P<0·0001) with fair-to-almost-perfect agreement for classifying elements within the same category. Validity was moderate with no systematic bias between methods of measurement, according to the regression coefficient (y=−2·30+0·17x) (95 % CI −0·027, 0·358; P=0·091). MediCul over-estimated the mean FR score by 6 %, with limits of agreement being under- and over-estimated by 11 and 23 %, respectively. Nutrient trends were significantly associated with increased MediCul scoring, consistent with a Mediterranean pattern. MediCul provides reliable and moderately valid information about Mediterranean diet adherence among older individuals with MCI, with potential application in future studies assessing relationships between diet and cognitive function.

Modern high-throughput molecular and analytical tools offer exciting opportunities to gain a mechanistic understanding of unique traits of weeds. During the past decade, tremendous progress has been made within the weed science discipline using genomic techniques to gain deeper insights into weedy traits such as invasiveness, hybridization, and herbicide resistance. Though the adoption of newer “omics” techniques such as proteomics, metabolomics, and physionomics has been slow, applications of these omics platforms to study plants, especially agriculturally important crops and weeds, have been increasing over the years. In weed science, these platforms are now used more frequently to understand mechanisms of herbicide resistance, weed resistance evolution, and crop–weed interactions. Use of these techniques could help weed scientists to further reduce the knowledge gaps in understanding weedy traits. Although these techniques can provide robust insights about the molecular functioning of plants, employing a single omics platform can rarely elucidate the gene-level regulation and the associated real-time expression of weedy traits due to the complex and overlapping nature of biological interactions. Therefore, it is desirable to integrate the different omics technologies to give a better understanding of molecular functioning of biological systems. This multidimensional integrated approach can therefore offer new avenues for better understanding of questions of interest to weed scientists. This review offers a retrospective and prospective examination of omics platforms employed to investigate weed physiology and novel approaches and new technologies that can provide holistic and knowledge-based weed management strategies for future.

Royal Jelly (RJ) is product from bees that is used to feed larvae in the hive as well as a main nutritional source for the queen honey bee. It has various important biological activities including as an antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cholesterol-lowering, and growth promoter activities and has the ability for inhibition of certain enzymatic degradation. It can be used for the improvement of growth performance, gut health and quality and safety of animal products in poultry due to its antioxidant and immune modulating properties. The antioxidant activity of RJ is mainly due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds. It is an excellent source of B and C vitamins and folic acid. The mineral profile of RJ is useful as it contains major macro and micro minerals. Studies conducted on supplementation with RJ in poultry diets have shown a significant increase in body weight, egg production, and immune levels and is especially useful in organic production. Supplementation of RJ at the level of 10 and 15 mg/kg in layer diets positively influenced egg weight (by 5.0% and 4.8% respectively), egg production (10.5% and 11.0% respectively), weight gain of hens (7.0% and 6.5% respectively) and yolk pigmentation (9.5% and 9.7% respectively). Total leukocyte and erythrocyte counts in the diet containing 200 mg/kg RJ were significantly higher than the diet contained 100 mg/kg or the unsupplemented control group. However, the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and heterophil percent were reduced in RJ-fed groups. Supplementing poultry diets with RJ offers an opportunity to maximise profit from safe and high quality poultry production.

Cinnamon is a common spice obtained from the bark of the cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum zeylanicum). It has been used for culinary, as well as medicinal, purposes since ancient times in various countries. Apart from substantial amounts of several nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, choline, vitamins (A, K, C, B3), and minerals, several biological active compounds are present in the extract of oil, which contribute to immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antiviral, lowering blood cholesterol, antimicrobial, lipid-lowering, antihypertension, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, gastroprotective, antidiabetic, neuroprotective and blood purifying properties. Cinnamon roots serve as a hepatic stimulant by improving bile production, eliminating toxins, restoring electrolyte balance and regulating hydration and can be used for enhancing digestion. In addition, nutritional properties of cinnamon powder include positive effects regarding growth, digestion, enhanced activity of gut microflora, improvement of immune response, as well as improved feed efficiency and health improvement of poultry birds. Recently, research focus has been directed towards supplementing broiler diets with cinnamon powder as a phytobiotic in order to replace synthetic growth promoters. After reviewing the literature, it was found that the research at the molecular level to elucidate the mechanisms behind the potential of cinnamon as a feed additive in poultry is limited, despite its promising impacts. Furthermore, supplementation doses vary significantly, i.e., from 0.02 to 7%. So, the aim of this review was to compile the published research related to cinnamon. Hence explore its beneficial properties, find out its optimal dosage for uses by veterinarians, researchers, and nutritionists, as well as its potential to use as a natural feed additive to replace the synthetic antibiotic growth promoters in poultry feed.

Anthocyanins are flavonoids widely spread in various plant species as a major phyto-pigment. In recent years, interest in using anthocyanins as a feed ingredient has increased markedly owing to their health and other benefits. Anthocyanins possess various pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, anti-obesity and antioxidant effects. Dietary consumption of anthocyanins has revealed benefits in animal performance. Little is known about health-promoting effects of anthocyanins in avian species, but anthocyanin-rich dried fruits have shown positive effects on certain pathological conditions and health promoting markers in human and other animals. This review aims to gather information regarding health benefits of anthocyanins and highlight therapeutic and potential health beneficial effects of anthocyanins for poultry. Additionally, it explores these biologically important flavonoids as alternative ingredients in poultry feed to replace synthetic nutrients and medicines. The available literature reports studies involving use of anthocyanins focused on human, mice and in vitro models. However, there is a need to explore mechanism of action at molecular level to understand potential beneficial effects of anthocyanins in avian species.

Flavonoids are natural compounds derived from different types of vegetables, fruits, and medicinal herbal plants. Hesperidin, a flavanone (a class of flavonoids) glycoside is found abundantly in citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons tangerines and limes and is known to possess significant benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, antioxidant, growth promoting, anticancer and immunological properties. Hesperidin enhances mucosal and humoral immunity by increasing intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte numbers, lymphoid organs (thymus, spleen and bursa) indices, as well as improving anti-avian influenza and anti-Newcastle disease antibody titres in poultry. In addition, hesperidin is a strong chain-breaking antioxidant that provides potent cellular antioxidant defence against the damaging effects induced by peroxide hydrogen. As a natural antioxidant, hesperidin could help mitigate heat stress during summer by decreasing heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, and quenching reactive oxygen species generated by summer heat stress. The aim of this review was to elucidate the biological effects and health benefits of hesperidin as an alternative of synthetic immune boosters and growth promoters in poultry diets.

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) is an invasive perennial weed infesting range and recreational lands of North America. Previous research and omics projects with E. esula have helped develop it as a model for studying many aspects of perennial plant development and response to abiotic stress. However, the lack of an assembled genome for E. esula has limited the power of previous transcriptomics studies to identify functional promoter elements and transcription factor binding sites. An assembled genome for E. esula would enhance our understanding of signaling processes controlling plant development and responses to environmental stress and provide a better understanding of genetic factors impacting weediness traits, evolution, and herbicide resistance. A comprehensive transcriptome database would also assist in analyzing future RNA-seq studies and is needed to annotate and assess genomic sequence assemblies. Here, we assembled and annotated 56,234 unigenes from an assembly of 589,235 RNA-seq-derived contigs and a previously published Sanger-sequenced expressed sequence tag collection. The resulting data indicate that we now have sequence for >90% of the expressed E. esula protein-coding genes. We also assembled the gene space of E. esula by using a limited coverage (18X) genomic sequence database. In this study, the programs Velvet and Trinity produced the best gene-space assemblies based on representation of expressed and conserved eukaryotic genes. The results indicate that E. esula contains as much as 23% repetitive sequences, of which 11% are unique. Our sequence data were also sufficient for assembling a full chloroplast and partial mitochondrial genome. Further, marker analysis identified more than 150,000 high-quality variants in our E. esula L-RNA–scaffolded, whole-genome, Trinity-assembled genome. Based on these results, E. esula appears to have limited heterozygosity. This study provides a blueprint for low-cost genomic assemblies in weed species and new resources for identifying conserved and novel promoter regions among coordinately expressed genes of E. esula.

Echinacea purpurea is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs that is of interest to animal scientists due to its valuable immuno-stimulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. It is thought that it activates the immune system through stimulating T-cell production, lymphocytic activity, phagocytosis, cellular respiration and inhibiting the secretion of the hyaluronidase enzyme. Chicoric acid (CA) is a major active constituent of Echinacea purpurea. The CA content in roots ranges between 16.80-24.30 mg/g which has gained a lot of renown due to its promising bio-activities. CA has shown to simulate growth promoters and have antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, anti-bacterial, hypoglycaemic and hepatocyte protective properties. There have been very few studies relevant to CA and its use in poultry diets. Previously published studies have included pharmacological and nutritional investigations in the poultry industry. CA could be used as an alternative to antibiotics, and may improve meat quality and health status in broiler chickens.

The application of novel feedstuffs in poultry diets, especially in developing countries, has received attention in recent years. Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) is a non-edible oil seed, and its meal is a rich in protein. Jatropha meal (JM) has been characterised as a potentially useful animal feedstuff due to its high content of crude protein level (35-50%), essential amino acid and mineral content. However, jatropha kernel contains high amounts of phytate, ranging from 7 to 10%, which would require phytase supplementation for it to be used in feeds. Jatropha contains toxic compounds and anti-nutritional factors, including lectin, tannin, saponin, phorbol esters and trypsin inhibitors, which require different treatments (physical, chemical or biological) to make it suitable for poultry diets. As a result of the presence of detrimental compounds, only low levels of jatropha in feed are recommended from animal trials. It may be used to partially substitute soybean meal, but not maize. It has been suggested in the literature that, after physical or chemical treatment of jatropha seed meal, it may have other benefits, including as an immunomodulant and antioxidant, as well as hypocholestermic, antihypertensive, hepatoprotectant, antiretroviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antibacterial properties. It appears that heat and enzyme treated jatropha could be used in poultry diets without detrimental effects on productive and reproductive performance and may promote health status in poultry.

Silymarin is composed of flavonolignans and derived from the dry seed of milk thistle (Silybummarianum) herb. It is used as a hepatoprotective treatment for different liver ailments, mainly cirrhosis, jaundice, growth promotant, alcoholic liver disease, chronic hepatitis C, chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma. Reported medicinal properties are anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, low toxicity, promising pharmacokinetics, protective, preventive, regenerative and antifibrotic effects and has been shown to be extremely safe. The mode of action by which silymarin might protect liver cells includes stabilisation of membranes, free radical scavenging, stimulation of hepatocyte protein synthesis and modulation of the immune response. In addition, silymarin can be used to treat jaundice disorders by ameliorating the levels of various hepatic enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Moreover, silymarin is able to moderate the immune system, by boosting IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-10. The hepatoprotective effect of silymarin in poultry farming is poorly understood, although it may be used as a cheap, non-toxic and safe feed additive to manage liver related disorders and to replace synthetic drugs in poultry diets. Hence, this review will allow scientists, veterinarians, researchers, poultry producers to gain a pragmatic edge as well as perspective usage of Silymarin. A main priority is in finding the effective level in poultry whereby it acts as a natural liver tonic in the poultry industry and could reduce veterinary expenses.

Recommended rates of glyphosate for noncultivated areas destroy the aboveground shoots of the perennial plant leafy spurge. However, such applications cause little or no damage to underground adventitious buds (UABs), and thus the plant readily regenerates vegetatively. High concentrations of glyphosate, applied under controlled environmental conditions, have been shown to cause sublethal effects in UABs of leafy spurge that produce stunted and bushy phenotypes in subsequent generations of shoots. We treated leafy spurge plants in the field with glyphosate (0, 1.1, 3.4, or 6.7 kg ai ha−1) to determine its effects on vegetative growth from UABs and on molecular processes. The number of shoots derived from UABs of glyphosate-treated plants was significantly increased compared to controls in subsequent years after application, and new shoots displayed various phenotypical changes, such as stunted and bushy phenotypes. Quantifying the abundance of a selected set of transcripts in UABs of nontreated vs. treated plants (0 vs. 6.7 kg ha−1) indicated that glyphosate impacted molecular processes involved in biosynthesis or signaling of tryptophan or auxin (ARF4, CYP79B2, PIN3, TAA1, TRP6, YUC4), gibberellic acid (GA1/CPS1, GA2/KS), ethylene (ACO1, ACS10), cytokinins (AHP1, AK2, CKX1), and the cell cycle (CDC2A, CDC2B, CYCD3;1). Glyphosate-induced effects on vegetative growth and transcript abundance were persistent for at least 2 yr after treatment. Determining the molecular mechanisms associated with vegetative reproduction in leafy spurge following foliar glyphosate-treatment could identify limiting factors or new targets for manipulation of plant growth and development in perennial weeds.

Sublingual immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis sensitised to house dust mites is safe, but its efficacy is controversial and sublingual immunotherapy with Blomia tropicalis has not yet been studied. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy with house dust mite extract in children and adults with house dust mite allergic rhinitis over a period of two years.

Methods:

A prospective observational study was conducted of children and adults diagnosed with house dust mite allergic rhinitis who were treated with sublingual immunotherapy from 2008 to 2012. Total Nasal Symptom Scores, Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life scores and medication usage scores were assessed prospectively.

Results:

Thirty-nine patients, comprising 24 children and 15 adults, were studied. Total Nasal Symptom Scores and Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life scores dropped significantly at three months into therapy, and continued to improve. Medication usage scores improved at one year into immunotherapy.

Conclusion:

Sublingual immunotherapy with house dust mite extracts, including B tropicalis, is efficacious as a treatment for patients with house dust mite allergic rhinitis.

We present a novel motorized semi-autonomous mobile hospital bed guided by a human operator and a reactive navigation algorithm. The proposed reactive navigation algorithm is launched when the sensory device detects that the hospital bed is in the potential danger of collision. The semi-autonomous hospital bed is able to safely and quickly deliver critical neurosurgery (head trauma) patients to target locations in dynamic uncertain hospital environments such as crowded hospital corridors while avoiding en-route steady and moving obstacles. We do not restrict the nature or the motion of the obstacles, meaning that the shapes of the obstacles may be time-varying or deforming and they may undergo arbitrary motions. The only information available to the navigation system is the current distance to the nearest obstacle. Performance of the proposed navigation algorithm is verified via theoretical studies. Simulation and experimental results also confirm the performance of the reactive navigation algorithm in real world scenarios.

Complex faceted features of micrometer sizes and with intense luminescence rise 200-300 nm above the surface of a GaN thin film grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire. Cathodoluminescence measurements at room temperature and at 8K were used to investigate the luminescence properties of these microfeatures in comparison with those of the background GaN material. The morphology of the micro-features was studied by scanning electron microscopy and by atomic force microscopy.

GaN and related compounds have been considered as promising materials for light emitting devices in the short wavelength visible and UV spectral regions because of their direct, wide band gaps and high luminescence efficiency. Remarkable, rapid success has been achieved in developing devices based on III-V nitrides, which allows these material systems to rival other systems under development [1]. Blue-green LEDs fabricated from InGaN/AlGaN double-heterostructure layers on sapphire substrates by Nichia Chemical Industries in Japan are commercially available, despite the presence of high extended defect densities in the 1010 /cm2 range [2]. In December 1995, an important milestone in the development of nitride lasers was reached; Nakamura et al. in Nichia demonstrated the first nitride-based laser diode which operated at 417 nm under pulsed conditions at room temperature [3].

The morphology and spatial distribution of luminescence in GaN thin films have been investigated by several research groups [4], [5], [6], although most efforts have been directed to developing appropriate growth conditions for improved film quality. From observations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), Trager-Cowan et al. described an MBE-grown GaN film which contained an assembly of oriented hexagonal crystallites rising above a background of polycrystalline or amorphous material [4]. All the crystallites, oriented in a similar fashion, had roughly the same sizes, 1 or 2 μm across a hexagonal face and about 1 μm high. These crystallites were much brighter than the surrounding background material in panchromatic low-temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) images. Trager-Cowan et al. concluded that the crystallites were of better quality than the background material. They also observed a green emission band, attributed to impurities, which became weaker for higher electron beam voltages, generating luminescence from deeper in the film. From this observation, they concluded that higher quality material is located closer to the film's outer surface. Spatial variation of the luminescence efficiency from MOCVD-grown films has also been observed by Ponce et al[5]. in their room-temperature CL microscopy studies. Their results showed significant nonuniformities in both the band-edge and yellow band emissions. Although they reported no faceted island structures, one of their samples had “marked surface features” and consisted of hexagonal crystals 10 to 50 μm in diameter. The crystals gave strong band-to-band (364 nm) luminescence.

In this paper, the morphology of a GaN film grown on (0001) sapphire by MBE is characterized by SEM and AFM, and CL measurements are used to investigate the luminescence properties of the film at room temperature and at 8K. Some regions of this film are similar to the one described by Trager-Cowan et al. [4] in having micron sized, brightly luminescent islands. The hexagonal facet angles and bright luminescence of islands in our film also resemble the larger scale, more regularly shaped hexagonal crystals of Ponce et al. [5]. These regions lie on the boundary of excess gallium growth conditions. Our results differ from those of Trager-Cowan in terms of the island morphologies and the spectral character of luminescence from the islands and from the background material. Possible causes of the large variations in luminescence efficiency are discussed.

Long-term control of leafy spurge with glyphosate requires multiple applications because the plant reproduces vegetatively from abundant underground adventitious buds, referred to as crown and root buds. Determining the molecular mechanisms involved in controlling vegetative reproduction in leafy spurge following foliar glyphosate treatment could identify limiting factors or new targets for manipulation of plant growth and development in invasive perennial species. Thus, we treated leafy spurge plants with 0 or 2.24 kg ai ha−1 glyphosate to determine its impact on selected molecular processes in crown buds derived from intact plants and plants decapitated at the soil surface 7 d after glyphosate treatment. New shoot growth from crown buds of foliar glyphosate-treated plants was significantly reduced compared with controls after growth-inducing decapitation, and had a stunted or bushy phenotype. Quantification of a selected set of transcripts involved in hormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways indicated that glyphosate had the most significant impact on abundance of ENT-COPALYL DIPHOSPHATE SYNTHETASE 1, which is involved in a committed step for gibberellin biosynthesis, and auxin transporters including PINs, PIN-LIKES, and ABC TRANSPORTERS. Foliar glyphosate treatment also reduced the abundance of transcripts involved in cell cycle processes, which would be consistent with altered growth patterns observed in this study. Overall, these results suggest that interplay among phytohormones such as auxin, ethylene, and gibberellins affect vegetative growth patterns from crown buds of leafy spurge in response to foliar glyphosate treatment.

We developed two leafy spurge bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries that together represent approximately 5× coverage of the leafy spurge genome. The BAC libraries have an average insert size of approximately 143 kb, and copies of the library and filters for hybridization-based screening are publicly available through the Arizona Genomics Institute. These libraries were used to clone full-length genomic copies of an AP2/ERF transcription factor of the A4 subfamily of DEHYDRATION-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT-BINDING PROTEINS (DREB) known to be differentially expressed in crown buds of leafy spurge during endodormancy, a DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM) gene, and several FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes. Sequencing of these BAC clones revealed the presence of multiple FT genes in leafy spurge. Sequencing also provided evidence that two different DAM transcripts expressed in crown buds of leafy spurge during endo- and eco-dormancy result from alternate splicing of a single DAM gene. Sequence data from the FT promoters was used to identify several conserved elements previously recognized in Arabidopsis, as well as potential novel transcription factor binding sites that may regulate FT. These leafy spurge BAC libraries represent a new genomics-based tool that complements existing genomics resources for the study of plant growth and development in this model perennial weed. Furthermore, phylogenetic footprinting using genes identified with this resource demonstrate the usefulness of studying weedy species to further our general knowledge of agriculturally important genes.

Leafy spurge seeds are responsive to alternating temperature rather than constant temperature for germination. Transcriptome changes of dry leafy spurge seeds and seeds imbibed for 1 and 3 d at 20 C constant (C) and 20 : 30 C alternating (A) temperature were determined by microarray analysis to examine temperature responsiveness. Principal component analysis revealed differences in the transcriptome of imbibed seeds based on the temperature regime. Computational methods in bioinformatics parsed the data into overrepresented AraCyc pathways and gene regulation subnetworks providing biological context to temperature responses. After 1 d of imbibition, the degradation of starch and sucrose leading to anaerobic respiration were common pathways at both temperature regimes. Several overrepresented pathways unique to 1 d A were associated with generation of energy, reducing power, and carbon substrates; several of these pathways remained overrepresented and up-regulated at 3 d A. At 1 d C, pathways for the phytohormones jasmonic acid and brassinosteroids were uniquely overrepresented. There was little similarity in overrepresented pathways at 1 d C between leafy spurge and arabidopsis seeds, indicating species-specific effects upon imbibition of dry seeds. Overrepresented gene subnetworks at 1 d and 3 d at both temperature regimes related to signaling processes and stress responses. A major overrepresented subnetwork unique to 1 d C related to photomorphogenesis via the E3 ubiquitin ligase COP1. At 1 d A, major overrepresented subnetworks involved circadian rhythm via LHY and TOC1 proteins and expression of stress-related genes such as DREB1A, which is subject to circadian regulation. Collectively, substantial differences were observed in the transcriptome of leafy spurge seeds imbibed under conditions that affect the capacity to germinate.